Penang State Government and PDRM care to explain
Malaysian state launches facial recognition to CCTV network
The State of Penang has launched the first public facial recognition system in Malaysia to the CCTV network on Penang Island to help police track down wanted criminals and reduce crime, the Malay Mail report.
The city surveillance system uses AI to identify faces captured by the CCTV network operated by Penang Island City Council (MBPP). IBM Intelligent Video Analytics (IVA) technology is used for facial recognition. It will be rolled out over a three-year period from December 2017 through 2020, with a cost of RM12 million (US$2.89 million).
“Wanted persons can be traced using this system and this system is fully linked with the police operations room in Penang,” Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said in a speech at the MBPP Operation Centre.
The MBPP is in the process of installing 150 new cameras to expand its network of 767 CCTV cameras, while the mainland Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) is adding 94 cameras to its 130-camera network. Most of the cameras are located at major roads, intersections, and hotspots for criminal activity.
The system will be used for other smart city purposes than just crime reduction.
“The IVA can trace various traffic violations such as illegal parking, vehicles that used the emergency lanes, measure water level when it rains and facial recognition of people captured by the CCTV,” says MBPP Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang.
The system is being paid for at the state level, and a local government official told the Malay Mail that he hopes the federal government will consider subsidizing the system and extending it nation-wide.
Malaysia’s auxiliary police force began using body cameras with facial recognition technology provided by YITU last year.
3rd Jan 2019 Chris Burt
********************************************************************************
IBM Shuts Down Intelligent Video Analytics
By: Charles Rollet, Published on May 02, 2019
Abruptly, IBM has discontinued its Intelligent Video Analytics solution, it confirmed to IPVM.
IBM's video analytics have faced recent media scrutiny over human rights concerns. Moreover, it has not sold well, based on our market research.
"IBM No Longer Offers Intelligent Video Analytics"
IBM confirmed the news to IPVM in a tweet, with its verified security support account stating the solution was withdrawn from the market on April 23, 2019 with a link to a "software withdrawal" page,
The document confirms there is no "replacement program" in the works:
IBM's Intelligent Video Analytics webpage [link no longer available] now redirects to IBM's weather solutions:
ISC West Booth No Show
IPVM first noticed a problem when IBM pulled out of ISC West, America's largest security and surveillance exhibition, at the last minute. The event, held in Las Vegas on April 10-12, 2019, saw IBM's booth left empty, as our image below shows:
Negative Media Coverage
IBM's video analytics has been the subject of serious recent media scrutiny, chiefly in the form of two articles from investigative news outlet The Intercept:
- One article from March 20 showed how IBM built an "Intelligent Operations Center" for authorities in the Philippines city of Davao, raising fears that IBM's analytics were used for extrajudicial killings. (For more, see IPVM's coverage: IBM / Genetec Surveillance System Investigated Over Philippines Human Rights Abuses).
- The other Intercept piece, from last September, exposed how IBM used NYPD surveillance camera footage to "develop technology that lets police search by skin color", raising racism/bias concerns.
Poor Commercial Performance
IPVM's market coverage over the past decade indicates the IBM video analytics program never had substantial commercial success. The combination of high costs, complex on-site setup, and accuracy issues made it hard for almost all to justify. While IBM did win some city projects (such as NYC and Davao, Philippines), overall the wins were few even in a video analytics market that has mostly disappointed in the past decade. For a company the size of IBM, this was more of a distraction.
IBM Spokesperson: No Comment on "Speculation"
Prior to our tweet, IPVM had reached out to IBM's communications team about the discontinuation and whether negative media coverage was behind it. In response, we were told:
We don't comment on market rumors and speculation
Conclusion
While a major factor behind IBM's decision was likely the program's poor market performance, the added negative press coverage gave IBM even more reason to finally end it. In that sense, the discontinuation shows that human rights/ethics are increasingly important for video surveillance.
However, video analytics are improving (deep learning, neural networks, etc.) which is increasing accuracy and lowering total cost. While IBM is now out of this market, as the technology matures, we expect greater conflict between commercial interests and human rights abuses.
***************************************************************************
MALAYSIANS NEED AN EXPLANATION FROM PENANG STATE GOVERNMENT AND PDRM WHY GOOD MONEY ARE SPENT ON UNWANTED AND NO LONGER IN USE PRODUCT?
IS THIS ONE OF THE REASON WHY AZMIN ALI FACE CANNOT BE RECOGNIZED BECAUSE OF A USELESS SOFTWARE USED BY PDRM AND MCMC.
MALAYSIA IS ALREADY KNOWN AS A TERRORIST PLAYGROUND.
MALAYSIA IS ALREADY FAMOUS WITH AZMIN ALI SUCKING COCK ON EVERY MEN HE MEETS.
MALAYSIA IS ALREADY FAMOUS FOR HAVING A MENTALLY SICK OLD MAN AS PRIME MINISTER.
MALAYSIA IS ALREADY FAMOUS FOR BEING A RACIST NATION.
MALAYSIA IS ALREADY FAMOUS FOR ITS CORRUPTION ON EVERY LEVEL IN THE GOVERNMENT.
MALAYSIA IS ALREADY FAMOUS FOR HAVING MALAYS BEING CALLED LAZY AND STUPID.
MALAYSIA IS ALREADY FAMOUS FOR HAVING JUDGES, AG, IGP AND MACC ANSWERABLE TO PRIME MINISTER ALONE AND NOT TO THE RAKYAT OR PARLIAMENT.
I AM SICK AND FED UP OF ALL THE SELFISH, USELESS, FOOLS IN PH GOVERNMENT CABINET.
LET THE FIRE BURN ALL OF YOU TO DEATH.
Comments